“On the Road with Mike Anderson -- Serving Up Collision Advice,” a live monthly podcast powered by Autobody News, on April 7 featured an interview of three recent collision repair customers about their experiences: what went wrong, what went right and what they want all industry stakeholders to know to make the claims process better for everyone.
The episode was broadcast live from the Hilton Minneapolis in Minnesota, where the customers will also speak at a national symposium for members of Anderson’s Spartans performance group, as well as insurers and vendors.
The broadcast is now available on demand on Autobody News' YouTube channel.
Anderson and Sheryl Driggers, his teammate at Collision Advice, interviewed three customers: Brook from Minnesota, Tim from Wisconsin and Brian from Philadelphia, PA.
“We are giving the microphone to most important people in our industry: our customers,” Driggers said, adding the customers were sharing their stories in the hopes of creating change.
Brook and Brian shared stories of repairs gone poorly, while Tim had a great experience with his shop.
Brook said three months after she purchased her first car, a 2018 Toyota Prius Premium, she was driving it in a blizzard when the car spun, hitting guard rails and damaging both sides of the car extensively.
Brian, a U.S. Navy veteran, had recently moved back to Philadelphia when his Audi sedan was broken into. It appeared the thief had driven another vehicle over the car to shatter both the front and rear windshields, damaging the hood in the process, and broken out the side windows.
Tim was driving his GMC Sierra pickup when he hit a deer.
Choosing the Repair Shop
Brian said his insurance company recommended a shop near his home, part of a large national MSO. He chose to use that shop because he recognized the name and it was conveniently located.
The MSO had two locations near his home, so he went with the one with slightly higher online ratings.
Brian said he’d used another shop in New Jersey in the past and had a good experience, so he assumed all shops were just as good.
Looking back, he said it was strange his insurance company recommended the national chain because it wouldn’t overcharge for parts: “I realized later, why would I care what the insurance company is paying for the parts? I want the best parts in my car.”
Tim said he took his damaged pickup to the same shop he’s been using since he was 16 with no issues.
Brook’s insurance company gave her a list of 15 DRP shops, but they were all booked out six to eight months. She instead went with a shop recommended by a family member, which had 4.7-star reviews.
Brook and Brian said they both only looked at Google reviews.
Insurance Claim Experience
Brook, who was dealing with her first accident, said she was scared to call her insurance company. But after calling the company’s claims department, she received a claim number and next steps to get an estimate.
She said her insurance company did not ask her to submit photos for the initial claim, while the shop took its own photos.
Tim said his process was “simple and painless.” He called his independent insurance agent, who took some info and submitted it for Tim to his insurance company. He then started working with his shop of choice.
Brian said he had “smooth communication” with his insurance company, which asked for the police report and photos, which he emailed to a link provided by the agent he spoke to.
Driggers asked if anything with the claims process went particularly well or could have gone better.
“Everything went great,” Tim said. “Communication was great. It goes to show researching insurance companies can go a long way.”
Tim said he felt like his insurance company put his safety first by allowing him to take the truck to his preferred shop.
Brook said she would have liked her insurance company to explain the process when she made that first phone call.
Brian said he “felt like just another number. They only sent me to the shop they did because it benefited their bottom line.”
Repair Experience
Brook spent 20 months working with the first shop trying to get her Prius fixed. She dropped it off for the first time in March 2023, and got it back for the final time in November 2024. It still was not fixed properly though; she had just gotten tired of working with the first shop and found a second one.
She said the first estimate on the car was for $15,000. Eventually, that ballooned to $24,000.
While waiting out parts back orders and other delays and driving an older truck her dad loaned her, Brook was still making payments on the damaged car.
Driggers said she saw the first estimate Brook got, and if someone at the shop had spent more time researching Toyota repair procedures, Brook’s experience would have been a lot better.
Brook said communication with the shop was “so-so” at first. After nine to 10 months, she had to be the one to reach out to the shop for updates; her insurance company said they couldn’t do anything because it didn’t have a DRP agreement with the shop.
“There were a thousand excuses from the shop -- OEM parts were on back order, then he had family that got sick so he was out of town a lot,” she said.
Brian said the actual repair process with his shop seemed to go well, but when he picked up his car, he was told there “might be a little glass” because it was impossible to get every piece out, which he thought was reasonable.
However, as soon as he got in the car, he saw chunks of glass on the seats. He took it back to the shop and they offered to vacuum it.
Brian said he argued about other things that didn’t appear to have been done correctly, but he left there feeling powerless.
He called the New Jersey shop he had used in the past and drove the car there for a post-repair inspection.
The shop owner, Dean Massimini of Autotech Collision Center, “found everything wrong with it,” Brian said. Massimini has since uploaded a video to YouTube of his findings.
Brian called his insurance company, which initially tried to deflect responsibility back to the national MSO shop. Brian said he “flipped it back on [his insurer] because they referred that shop,” and they finally allowed him to leave it at Massimini’s shop.
Tim’s truck needed a front bumper repair. He said communication with his shop of choice was great from the beginning. He got a text or phone call from a manager at least once or twice a week.
There was a small delay on parts -- “just a day or two, nothing major” -- and he got the truck back clean.
“It was just an all-around good experience,” Tim said.
Driggers asked what other repairers could learn.
“Communication is key, whether good or bad,” Tim said. “You want to know what’s going on with your vehicle.”
He said some shop operators seem to forget how they would want to be treated as a customer.
“Facing customers is a big part of it,” Tim said. “A lot of places, including insurance companies, need to remember that. I feel like I get treated like family [by that shop], which is something all shops can learn from. I don’t have to call them to get an update; they’re reaching out to me to give an update.”
Anderson asked how the panelists preferred to be contacted.
Tim said a text is easier if things are going well, but if there’s an issue, like a back ordered part, a phone call is better.
Brook said she would like an initial text, followed by a phone call to explain or answer questions, while Brian said he prefers phone calls.
Anderson pointed out all three had different answers. “We should ask customers what they prefer,” he said.
What Went Wrong?
Anderson reviewed the initial estimate on Brook’s Prius, which had a mix of new and reconditioned parts. He said he was more concerned about what was missing from the estimate.
The second shop Brook took the car to also noticed what wasn’t on the estimate -- safety procedures.
Anderson said, for instance, there were no procedures to disconnect the battery before working on the car, or to reconnect it. There were no OEM repair procedures to inspect components like airbags, seat belts and sensors.
“There are numerous things missing that are required for a safe and proper repair,” Anderson said. “[The first shop] gets a big ‘F’ on safety inspections. They failed you and I’m so sorry for that.”
Anderson said the Collision Advice team would be getting involved with Brook’s repair to make sure it is finally done correctly.
“She’s still driving around in a vehicle that hasn’t had the seat belt inspection, had the airbag inspection. She’s still driving around in a vehicle where her new fender has not been painted properly and now the paint’s chipping and it’s getting rusty,” Anderson said.
Referring to the video Massimini made about the repair on his Audi, Brian said the refinish job was done poorly, and other dents and scratches weren’t fixed. Worse, the car was full of shattered glass -- in the trunk, seats, center console, dashboard and floor -- and the first shop had left it outside with no protective covering, allowing snow to come in through the missing windshield.
Brian said the glass in the HVAC vents was the “most alarming thing. It would’ve blown shards of glass if I’d turned on the heat or A/C.”
Brian said he regretted not taking the car to the Massimini’s shop in the first place, but he felt a huge sense of relief when he did take it there and knew Massimini was going to help.
In the end, the insurance company totaled the Audi, which Massimini said it should’ve done originally.
CSI Surveys
Driggers asked all three customers if they had received any CSI surveys.
Tim said he thought he got one from his rental car company.
Brook said she didn’t get any surveys.
Brian said he got two from the first shop, but he didn’t think he’d filled it out. “It didn’t feel like it was going to do anything,” he said. Instead, he posted honest reviews of both shops on Google.
OEM vs. Aftermarket Parts, Safety Inspections
Anderson asked all three if they knew before their claims what OEM parts are. Tim and Brian said they both knew; Brook didn’t when she first started the claims process but learned.
“It was important to me to get OEM parts,” Tim said, as his truck was only a year old when he hit the deer.
“I definitely think there should only be OEM parts on newer cars,” Brook said.
Brian said he also felt OEM parts are important.
Anderson asked if seat belt inspections are important to the panelists.
“I didn’t think about that until right now, but yes, that would be important,” Brook said.
Anderson asked how a shop should approach a customer about possibly paying out of pocket for some of those safety procedures or OEM parts if an insurer refuses.
“Be honest with the customer instead of trying to hide the fact you’re not using OEM parts, and let someone know what it’s going to cost if they do want to pay extra,” Brian said.
“Explain to me the ‘why,’” Brook said. “If I’m going to have the car another 10 or 15 years, it’s important my seat belt works, my airbags work.”
Tim recommended “open and honest communication about what insurance is and isn’t willing to pay for. I have kids that ride in the back, so safety is very important to me.”
The Next Episode of ‘On the Road’
Anderson said the next episode of “On the Road with Mike Anderson -- Serving Up Collision Advice” will be held at 4 p.m. ET May 12 from Dallas, TX.
The topic will be “all things scanning,” covering everything from OEM vs. aftermarket scan tools and the steps needed to complete them.
He will also address pricing agreements between scan tool manufacturers and insurance companies.
“I’m getting off the sidelines and discussing these controversial topics,” Anderson said.
The live broadcast will be available on Autobody News' social media channels, including Facebook, Instagram, X, LinkedIn and YouTube, and available on-demand on YouTube.
Abby Andrews